On "the trail" again; Bruce Trail - Rock Chapel Rd to Waterdown

A little later in the season than last year, but Nicola and I resumed our hiking of the Bruce Trail. We met at the Walmart in Waterdown (only bathroom available) and then drove to park on Rock Chapel Rd.

It was warm as we started out and both of us opted to leave our jackets in the car.

This section is managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens.

This looks like a Honeysuckle to me and when I looked it up I found that they are considered a non-native, invasive species. Very pretty though.

The first of many sets of wooden stairs. Although we complained about them they were much better than

the rock (and tumble) stairs. "Ankle traps"

Not an abundance of flowers out now

but every now and then, little pops of colour.

It was hot and muggy and on more than I occasion we mentioned how thankful we were that the trail was mostly in shade.

The trail went under Hwy 6

through a mural and graffiti filled tunnel

and past an old homestead

where the spray paint was also in evidence.

Behind the Walmart, a restored quarry, with trails around the ponds.

Across a railway line. The rails had recently been replaced and there were no blazes painted on them

but luckily the entrance on the other side was not far along.

We stopped and chatted with a "blaze painter". He was a volunteer, responsible for keeping the white blazes, marking the trail, on the trees, bright and visible. He repaints them 2 or 3 times a year. He said that it was relatively easy to get volunteers down in this well populated part of the trail but, further up in the peninsular, there might be 3 guys maintaining about 50 miles.

A long span

across a stream and now the trail followed a beautiful valley up beside the water.

Beautiful, yes, but also exhausting.

Huge boulders had fallen from the escarpment rim and tumbled into the valley. The river rushed over them in chutes and waterfalls and settled into swirling pools between them.

One lone Jack in the Pulpit.

The exhausting part was that it was mostly uphill; steep inclines, wooden stairs

and a steep, wooden stair switch back that culminated in a view of these waterfalls.

From the lookout above the falls.

This part of the trail is twinned with Offa's Dyke Path in the U.K.

I had heard of this path and wanted to hike it. Nicola's comment; "You realize that is 28, 10km days, Carol". Hmm, I was feeling pretty tired at the 9km mark of 1 day.

The last km was uphill (of course!) and then through a residential neighbourhood to where Dave picked us up.

Just under 10 km. We started at 10:15 and finished at about 3:30. Very hot, very sweaty, very tired but happy to be back hiking again.

Lovely moon at the end of the day.